Pokemon Adventures Diamond and Pearl Platinum manga vol. 2 Impression

A new set of trainers continue their journey in the latest Pokémon manga

Sorry, not gonna happen. Nobody, nobody is ever going to catch them all at this rate. Pokémon keeps on rolling in the video game, anime and manga departments with new characters, settings and pocket monsters to catch. The latest manga is Pokémon Adventures: Diamond and Pearl Platinum and we’re taking a look at volume 2 of this adventure. With a comedic duo escorting a young heiress (she’s rich) the adventures feel familiar yet fresh and new with story by Hidenori Kusaka and art by Satoshi Yamamoto. What does this latest adventure offer? Simple; more of what fans love with new twists, let’s take a look.

A case of mistaken identity make hopeful comedic duo trainer Diamond and Pearl travel with young Lady, only daughter of the wealthiest family in the Sinnoh Region, as she looks to gather the materials from the peak of Mount Coronet to construct an emblem bearing her family crest. Lady believes the two trainers are her hired bodyguards while Diamond and Pearl think Lady is their tour guide on their all expenses paid tour which they won in a contest. Meanwhile the real bodyguards are trying to track down Lady. As Lady takes on gym leaders to earn badges, grow stronger, the trio finds themselves on the cycling road with a certain young lady unable to ride a bike who runs into Stunky causing a bit of an odor problem. After a bit of a cave-in issue Lady finds herself entering a talent competition and being rescued by a very eloquent trainer who just screams of being seen again. After a quick trip to a lost tower the group must make their way through the mountain to access the proper route to reach the summit and they encounter some very mysterious Pokémon. The journey continues but a larger plot is in the works as the nefarious Team Galactic is on the move with their own interest in Lady and Mt. Coronet … and just when will the actual bodyguards catch-up with Lady?

So first the art. Yamamoto does an excellent job of delivering Pokémon perfect art that is sharp and on-par with the best Pokémon art out there. Action is great looking, Pokémon look true to form while characters each sport a unique look and familiar looking clothing. Only drawback is the limited background art. There are tons of action lines and dramatic effects but only sparse true detailed backgrounds but can’t complain as the stars are the little monsters and their powers. Now the story, it’s a new cast and setting but similar concept. Trio of young kids on an adventure where a Team X (Galactic this time) gets involved for larger, more diabolical reasons. The twist is Lady’s reason for travelling and the mix-up in thinking Pearl and Diamond are her body guards and also for this duo thinking Lady is their guide. Add to this the way Diamond and Pearl use paneled comedy routines to explain what is going on, rules and concepts, and what readers get is a great entry into the Pokémon universe that does not require prior knowledge. The story is fun and relationships are easy to believe and get behind and there are of course hidden lessons about friendship and other kid appropriate content.

Pokémon fans you and old can sit down with the latest manga and truly enjoy a new adventure yet feel right at home with an old friend. Great art, fun story and some oddball humor mixes to make a unique Pokémon adventure.

Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions on 3DS

Let the retro 3DS craze begin with two classics, Pac-Man and Galaga

Another collection of old arcade games? Another collection or revamped arcade games? Well, yes on both fronts but worth the price of admission people as Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions on Nintendo 3DS is all that’s great about both titles where the new truly outshine the old and some 3D is thrown in for good measure. It’s a trip down memory lane that shows just how far these titles have come from their first table top adventures. Gamers of all ages, get ready for a trip down memory lane and a trip to create your memory lane.

Gameplay – Six games, two newer and more unique with four showing the original and recent iterations of these two franchises. First is Pac-Man with three flavors from Tilt which is more a platformer where gamers tilt the 3DS to change the game, advance our chomping hero in an almost Sonic manner while Championship Edition shows off the recent revamp available for download and finally there’s the original coin-op version. All three are unique with the best easily being Championship Edition. Tilt is by far the biggest departure from the franchises origins.

Second is Galaga with its 3D tilting, targeting, shooting (first-person-ish) 3D Impact which just feels way to odd and off for this gamers enjoyment. The original Galaga shows its age with waves of aliens attacking while Legions is such a great an fresh take offering gamers a more free reign of movement and lasers firing all different directions. It’s more like an update to Asteroids than to Galaga but the waves of enemies brings it back to its roots.

Graphics – Let’s start at the beginning. The originals have never looked so old and slow due in large part to the layout of the screen, its size and positioning. They are spot on what they were in the past but still dated. Both Tilt and 3D Impact look solid with expected more to date graphics but the thoughts and images of both Sonic and Starfox kept coming to mind. The middle children again take the cake as Championship Edition for Pac-Man looks and plays great with tons of great on-screen effect while Legions is just as impressive looking a visual fest. The entire package of games runs the gamut of looks so it’s a mixed bag overall.

Sound – From old to new, the signature sounds are all accounted for and updated in later titles. These are the sounds, the music and effects, which will bring back so many memories.

Design – Tilt and 3D Impact being the new kids are more tech demos for what the 3DS can do and, while fun, take a bit getting used to. For portable games just a bit too much moving needed. The originals suffer from constrained screen space so poor design choice there but the middle children, now they look good. Legions and Championship Edition are the two titles that make this cart worth purchase and play outstanding on the 3DS.

Miscellaneous – Seeing such three very different ages of the same game is a nice history lesson in game development and design. From the originals to their revamps to new 3D targeted adventures it’s amazing to see how such iconic games change over time yet remain true to their roots.

Overall Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga Legions make this 3DS cart a must-buy. The original games pale to the updates while the 3DS targeted Tilt and 3D Impact are fun but overall not as addictive. A solid outing from Namco Bandai but if only 1 more game could have been squeezed in, and then we’re talking.

Q1 2011 gaming report – Nintendo DS, 3DS and PSP

A look back at DS, 3DS and PSP for the months of April, May and June 2011

A true crossroads in the handheld space; Q2 2011 is seeing a big shift as the usually solid lineup presented on DS shifts to 3DS while the PSP is rocked by one sweet E3 announcement leading to even slower (?) game development on the platform. Yes, handheld gaming is in flux as two systems begin their swan song and the third is just getting ramped up. How did handheld gamers fare in these three months, let’s take a look.

Nintendo DS – Sound the death bell, the DS will fade folks as developers look to take advantage of the 3DS. The death will be seen in quality titles, not volume, but this has been the case for a long time on the DS as the great entries are few and far between. 

• Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2011: Over the Nexus – The formula remains the same and having an annual tournament dependant on this title helps. Yu-Gi-Oh! may not get the fanfare of Pokémon but dang it’s fun and addictive and not going anywhere. 
• Emily The Strange – Comic fans will know this strange broad and her puzzle adventure looks and plays great, very true to the source material. Under the radar, no doubt, but original and fun.

Nintendo 3DS – First quarter just saw the release of the 3DS so this is the first round of true launch titles and it’s really not a bad offering as many show off what the system can do while offering good if not great gameplay experiences. Price of the system is still an issue but finally getting the store and browser up and running help. 

• Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D – An expansion of a mini-game experience that fans will love but casual gamers, not so much. For true RE fans. 
• Dead or Alive: Dimensions – As Street Fighter delivered the goods so does Dead or Alive with an excellent fighting game entry on the 3DS. 
• Dual Pen Sports – Not every game works great but ones, like archery, are addictive experiences that will bring gamers back to the simplicity games on Wii created. It’s a great use of both screens, 3D features and multiple stylus. 
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D – A remake that warrants buying the 3DS all by itself. Don’t know about Ocarina of Time? Shame, shame on you!

PlayStation Portable (PSP) – New system on the way but same lack of support. Love the PSP but it just never gets the love this little powerhouse should have. Graphically updated ports of PS and PS2 titles would have been a great gameplay .. oh well. 

• BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II – Awesome fighting game with tons of unique, perfect-for-anime characters. Portable gaming is all about fighting games folks (and RPG’s). 
• Patapon 3 – Best franchise on PSP continues to beat to its own drum 
• Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection – Another re-release, remake, but one that works yet again and brings together all the various IV pieces, good times.

Overall, 3DS gets an A thanks to Zelda moving up the grading curve while PSP and DS get C and D respectively. Just not enough on the DS to warrant a passing grade while PSP just does what it does with remakes and sequels. Second quarter of 2011 was a difficult one for handhelds but with 3DS on board and new PSP on the way things will get better … right?

Q1 2011 gaming report – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii

A look back at PS3, Wii and 360 for the months of April, May and June 2011

As E3 floats by and events such as Comic-Con are upon gamers it’s time to take another look back at what was the second quarter of 2011 for the PS3, Wii and 360. Each system is fighting for gamer’s dollars and with no major holiday in sight, the months of April, May and June are truly the beginning of the dogs days of summer … or are they? It’s been said many times over the past few years that the trend of no top notch titles in summer is gone, headed the way of the dodo. Good games do indeed come out in spring and summer and this year is no exception. Now the realm of exclusives has shrunk but overall gamers must be pleased with the offerings below as well as solid downloadable titles such as Beyond Good & Evil HD, Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls and Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury. So let’s take a look at those sweet games that hit in Q2 of 2011.

Multi-platform – Another solid quarter for those cross-platform games and the differences are really minimal with download content being the exclusive flavor-of-the-month. A truly nice mixture of new titles and return appearances. 

• Dungeon Siege III – A very classic feel to the DS franchise where gamers pick a class and get unique adventures to share with buddies or solo. There are times this feels like the great grandchild of Gauntlet. Overall fun and solid, not a game of the year title, but a solid rental and/or purchase. 
• Red Faction: Armageddon – The first-person struggle continues on Mars but this time the big bad aliens make an appearance. Solid entry, again not spectacular but does most everything right. 
• Alice: Madness Returns – Alice is the star in a twisted tale of Alice in Wonderland. She’s older and still not all there but with as great as Alice is, in looks and controls, her overall setting could have used a bit more work. 
• Shadows of the Damned – A mature game for the gamer looking for an immature experience that’s fun, funny and just plain out there. Junk references are everywhere and it’s hard to surprise with demon and underworld settings given recent games in this broad genre but Shadows still pulls out a few ‘did they just say/do that’ moments. 
• F.E.A.R. 3 – Alma is one creepy little girl who worked her way into gamers dreams with the first F.E.A.R. and by part 3 she will be haunting their waking moments. Twisted and sporting a true story, no some contrived fluff, part 3 is a rock solid horror, psychological first-person romp in a time of somewhat stale military only FPS’s. 
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 – Another one? Yup and it plays like those before and like all the Dynasty Warriors before and … well it’s just a guilty pleasure at this point. A good game; read my lips, guilty pleasure here! 
• L.A. Noire – It’s not a GTA clone or a CSI wanna-be but rather a truly unique crime thriller that works and works well. Not many games, if any, out there that doe what L.A. Noire does and its mixture of action and puzzle solving is awesome. A different gaming experience. 
• DiRT 3 – Off-road racing in HD that rocks online. 
• Portal 2 – First Portal surprised and set very high standards to which part 2 delivers. A game where brain power really counts, awesome! 
• Mortal Kombat – Another re-boot for the franchise that rocks and hell, it has Freddy in it … Freddy! 
• Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition – Oh my goodness gamers, it’s the arcade edition of an awesome game, I mean what’s not to love, like, want? 
• Duke Nukem Forever – Kidding, this game is poo.

PlayStation 3 – Most third-party titles are multi-platform now so it’s up to first part and first party owned companies to deliver the console exclusives and this quarter Sony kicked out three gems of different genre. 

• inFamous 2 – Assume the role of jacked-up Cole yet again in an adventure that builds on all that was awesome from the first inFamous. 
• SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs – A move towards a more fictional setting does not detract from a solid third-person shooter. It’s a very accessible game for those new to the franchise and really pulls off some solid displays of graphical beauty. 
• MotorStorm: Apocalypse – Right up there with DiRT 3, Apocalypse is an amazing racer with wide variety of vehicles to control. Throw in some weapons and the feeling of Twisted Metal comes to mind.

Xbox 360 – Man it seems if there’s no new Halo or Fable that the exclusive stable is try for 360 but thanks to the Kinect gamers get one awesome if not short gaming experience and, well that’s really it. 

• Child of Eden – The movements, music and gameplay all collide for an engaging experience that engages almost every sense (sorry, no smell-o- vision). A game that must be experience by Kinect owners.

Nintendo Wii – Same as with 360, if there ain’t no Mario, Zelda or Samus, first party games, then the Wii struggles. Sega works hard for Wii and it shows with their one noteworthy mention. 

• Conduit 2 – A true Wii developed first-person shooter that feels similar to the first but makes enough updates and upgrades to warrant another purchase.

Overall, a trend becomes the norm when it just won’t’ go away, keeps happening and gamers are seeing this with fewer exclusive titles and great multi-platform releases. The PS3 clocks in with a solid B by offering up three good tiles while both Wii and 360 go the C+ route for lack of exclusive. All three systems can be bumped up by ½ a grade to B+ and B’s thanks to the solid multiple offerings so a good quarter overall on the console front with a few game of the year candidates emerging (Portal 2 and L.A. Noire).

Pokemon Rumble Blast on Nintendo 3DS October 24th

Catching them all, all them toys, on the Nintendo 3DS this October 24th

A new Pokémon game is always a major event and while Pokémon Rumble Blast is not a traditional Poke-RPG the fact it’s on the Nintendo 3DS is cause for notice and potentially celebration for Poke-fans. Besides the 3D aspects gamers can look forward to a number of social play features and of course over 600 Pokémon to game with. From Nintendo, here is more on Rumble Blast …

“An action-packed Pokémon adventure in 3D without the need for special glasses, the game lets players battle against waves of opposing wind-up Toy Pokémon, connect and play with friends, and collect more than 600 Toy Pokémon. As players advance through each stage in Pokémon Rumble Blast, their Toy Pokémon will face dozens of Toy Pokémon at once, creating fast and furious real-time battles. Players must also face off against giant Boss Pokémon, whose massive size and strength offer special challenges. Certain defeated Toy Pokémon can be added to the player’s team, and players may also collect special Toy Pokémon, each with its own unique stats and abilities. Players can collect more than 600 Toy Pokémon in all, including those from the recently released Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version games. Players can quickly and easily switch between the various Toy Pokémon they collect throughout the game.

Pokémon Rumble Blast offers two ways for players to wirelessly connect with each other. Using a local wireless connection, they can enjoy a cooperative play mode that allows them to battle through levels together and more easily befriend defeated Toy Pokémon. Using the Nintendo 3DS StreetPass feature, they can challenge the Toy Pokémon of players they pass in their daily travels and view other players’ Mii characters in the game.”

So it’s an action based adventure with a world and franchise that’s rock solid and the formula sounds great. Unlike Ranger and Mystery Dungeon / Rescue Team, Rumble Blast looks to create a fast-paced experience that is not an expansion on the RPG formula but an entry into a newer genre for the franchise. Risky yes, but high reward also. There is much to be gained and little to be lost in this venture so check back for more news and chime in on initial thoughts.

Emily the Strange Strangerous on Nintendo DS Impression

The Dark Horse gal gets a puzzling adventure on the DS which will delight series fans and puzzle fanatics alike

Released in the UK, Emily the Strange: Strangerous is a DS title not to be missed by fans of the Dark Horse property or puzzle game fans. This collection of puzzle games is weaved into a tale of missing kitties which puts Emily on the road to saving the world. Yeah, it’s strange but that’s what Emily does best and gamers need to pay attention.

Gameplay – Emily is strange, always dressed in black, saying odd things and hanging out with her four black cats, Mystery, NeeChee, Sabbath and Miles. Upon waking from a dream of catnapping, Emily finds her feline friends are indeed missing. As Emily follows clues and solves puzzles she must move between the real world and a parallel dream world using the abilities of her found kitties to assist her. A story mode with 6 chapters, 65 puzzles, multiple worlds, tools and accessories and her kitten acquired abilities will be at Emily’s disposal in a puzzle adventure that’s gripping and plain fun.

Graphics – Black, red and all shades of gray. Seeing Emily come to life and settings seen in the comics is a thing of beauty and outside the solid gameplay, the reason to own Strangerous. Many puzzle games are just skinned re-treads but Strangerous offers up an art style that’s unique and which made Emily jump off bookshelves in the first place. Not every game needs state of the art graphics, some just need a solid base that works and works well.

Sound – The music carries a strange vibe, as expected, and it’s haunting at times with some catchy beats. After a while these tracks will get repetitive as will the well placed sound effects but overall its’ a solid sounding DS cart, just nothing overly memorable.

Design – The story is solid and fun as Emily hunts for her missing kittens and the puzzles she encounters go from easy to very challenging with a nice ramp in difficulty. Moving from night to day, real world to dream world also adds multiple layers to many decent puzzles. Using each kitties abilities and seeing through their eyes makes this more than a skinned puzzle adventurer. There is good, solid depth and originality not to mention style to Emily the Strange.

Miscellaneous – Using the DSi to scan barcodes, to create Zonster’s (patchwork monster dolls, had to look it up) means owners of the system get some very unique content. The scanning in itself becomes a game worth playing and very addictive in this mobile gaming world.

Overall, Strangerous needs to come to the states as it’s a solid puzzle adventure outing with a beautiful art style and core creative true to its source material. Emily the Strange is a wonderful read and getting to play her in a world so true to her origins, well it’s a fans enjoyment but one not to be missed by gamers for solid puzzling fun.

2011 Pokemon Video Game Washington D.C. Area Regional Championships

Local winners get their opportunity to compete for the Pokémon National Title

The 2011 Pokémon Video Game Regional Championships served up some great gaming this past weekend with 048 competitors earning invitations to compete in the National Tournament in Indianapolis, IN, this July. The 2011 Pokémon Video Game Washington D.C. area Regional Championships in Chantilly, VA saw these 48 players gain their spots after hours of intense completion. The Dulles Expo Center hosted three age divisions, Junior, Senior and Masters and while the next step is Nationals the ultimate goal is the 2011 Pokémon Video Game World Championships this August in San Diego, CA.

Here is a full list of the top four winners in order of finish in each division:

JUNIOR DIVISION

1st Place - Brendon Zheng (Age 8)

Fresh Meadows, NY

2nd Place - Ryan Pascual (Age 9)

Fairfax, VA

3rd Place - Alex Cohen (Age 10)

Egg Harbor Township, NJ

4th Place - Grace Arnold (Age 10)

Frankfort, IL

SENIOR DIVISION

1st Place - Aaron Zheng (Age 13)

Fresh Meadows, NY

2nd Place - Vincent Taylor (Age 13)

South Brunswick, NJ

3rd Place - Nitesh Manem (Age 13)

McLean, VA

4th Place - Noah Lawson (Age 13)

Acton, MA

MASTERS DIVISION

1st Place - Wolfe Alexander Glick (Age 15)

McLean, VA

2nd Place - Mitchell Horning (Age 18)

Baltimore, MD

3rd Place - Alvin Hidayat (Age 19)

Rockville, MD

4th Place - Tyler Hagan (Age 16)

Dayton, OH

Here are some official details of the remaining road and rules …

These Pokémon champs join other Pokémon video game players competing in Regional competitions in six cities throughout the U.S. for a chance to battle at the National Championships. The list of cities hosting 2011 Pokémon Regional video game tournaments includes:

May 14 - Seattle, WA

May 21 - San Jose, CA

May 28 - Dallas, TX

June 4 - Atlanta, GA

June 11 - Washington, D.C.

June 18 - Newark, NJ

July 8 - Indianapolis, IN *

*Last Chance Qualifier for Nationals

It is not necessary to win a Regional Championship event to attend the National Championships, so even players who haven't participated in a Regional tournament are welcome to travel to Indianapolis to play in the Last Chance Qualifier July 8 at the Indiana Convention Center for a chance to compete in the National Championships that weekend. The top eight Pokémon Trainers in each division at the National Championships will earn an invitation to the ultimate stage-the 2011 Pokémon Video Game World Championships in San Diego on August 12-14. Players at the World Championships have a chance to win international travel packages, trophies, and special Pokémon prize packages.

For more information about the Pokémon Video Game Championship series, including rules, tournament locations, dates and times, prizes, and more please visit www.pokemon.com/vgc. 

Should Wii care about U

Nintendo unveils the new Wii U console but will gamers get the next evolutionary step in gaming or …

Nintendo has fired the first salvo in the next console war, in a manner, with the announcement of the Wii U console. In a manner because the Wii U moves Nintendo into the world of HD and more but it’s still looking to compete for dollars but not in the manner that PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 duke it out. The Wii was odd at first but a hit with casual gamers and has found its way into many households but will this new system follow? The short answer is yes, let’s take a look at some features and reasons why.

Apple Effect – The Wii did what no other hardcore gaming console could, penetrate the average household. The sales numbers don’t lie and the casual gaming aspect hooked non-gamers of all ages. With that penetration and brand recognition Nintendo now has a chance to do what Apple has done with iPod and that’s make Wii owners want the next evolution of their systems. With the features listed below, why not. It’s a gaming system but so much more and the new controller, well that’s a system in itself. Price will be king in this court to see if Nintendo rules.

New Controller – A 6.2-inch screen on a controller? This isn’t the little take with you controller slot from Dreamcast, it’s a fully functional, stand-alone system in itself. Take Wii U with you and play outside the TV. See your lie in a game of golf, throw ninja stars, play games against others, browse the web, interact with games … this is all from the video shown at the Nintendo press conference and it’s not all the controller does but it’s like having a DS married with a touch screen smart phone rolled into one slick looking package. There are a few aspects to call out but having this puppy in action this is more than a new controller, it does look to be a new evolution for all types of gamers.

Non-gaming Controller Actions – Sharing photos, ‘tossing’ them to the TV, drawing tablet and video conferencing. The Wii U is a multi-media console and will allow the viewing of photos and the video shows an image being tossed from the controller to screen. The gaming aspect of this, especially in card games, is very cool to think about but again it’s the casual appeal. The ability to do some video chatting is in itself priceless and an untapped market that products like Skype has targeted but have yet to really move off the PC. Now gamers can get a non-PC that plays games and does video conferencing. Solid and hot, what an impressive feature.

Gyroscope – Seen in use with fitness board and a few games the balancing feature, the built in gyroscope should be very cool when implemented correctly.

HD – Late to the game, yes, but this is a big factor as traditional gamers can now get all the first party games in true HD, not some jacked up GameCube looking funk (while there are solid Wii titles they are not HD). Third party publishers will be happy to see and hear this especially since many of them (look at Ubisoft support) have development kits. A list is not provided here are this has been heard from publishers and seen on various releases. Point is Nintendo seems to be supporting third parties from the word go which has not always been the case.

Backwards Compatible – Yup, play all those Wii games on the Wii U. This key feature began with PlayStation 2’s support of PlayStation games and has become a necessity for new consoles due to the established user base. The 3DS launched with a handful of titles but hundreds of DS carts to pick from while PS3 20GB system is fully backward compatible and Xbox 360 plays select Xbox games. Good to hear this from Nintendo.

Zelda – Link has never looked as good as he does in the short clip seen at the presser and this is reason enough for gamers to buy the Wii U.

Overall the Wii U is exciting but this is just one gamers list of early observations. There is still more time to see how this plays out but rock solid effort by Nintendo and all level of gamers are looking to benefit, if the price is reasonable. Lot of features, its gotta be affordable for the new Wii created gamers.